![]() |
| Photo l Felicia D'Ambrosio |
| Sweet, tart, tender... and fast. |
A classic accompaniment to roasts, lamb and duck, or even just spread on bread, onion confit is sweet, tart, tender... and it takes a looong time.
I sped the onion confit process� along by making a small batch, just enough to top up turkey burgers for four, eliminating the need to make a massive quantity and then preserve it.� Streamlining the ingredients to just the basics -- onions, salt, vinegar, sugar, herbs and black pepper -- also saved time.� If you wish to make a truly traditional onion confit, check out this recipe from The Epicurean Table.� Otherwise, grab your knife and favorite little saucepan for my method, after the jump.
Quick Onion Confit
(serves four as a condiment)
Go Get This:
One onion, red or Vidalia
One Tablespoon sea salt (Maldon preferred)
Three Tablespoons butter
Small splash extra-virgin olive oil
Four Tablespoons apple cider or champagne vinegar
Two Tablespoons light brown sugar
Three sprigs fresh thyme
A few turns of freshly ground black pepper
Now Do This:
Slice your onion in half lengthwise (root to stem end) and remove skin.� With a sharp knife, slice as thin as you can across the grain, or use a mandolin.
Place a small, heavy-bottomed sauce pan over moderate heat.� Melt the butter and add a small splash of olive oil to help keep the butter from burning.� Add onions to pan, then salt.� Allow onions to sweat down five minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
Add sugar to pot and stir to combine, then pour in vinegar (do not inhale vinegar fumes from pot) and allow to bubble and reduce, approximately three to five minutes, until mixture resembles a loose marmalade.
Strip thyme from branches and add to onions, stir to combine.
All liquid should be absorbed or evaporated at this point and onions should soft and golden-brown.� Season with pepper, then taste to check for seasoning.� Add salt if needed.
Serve warm or room temperature as a condiment for burgers, lamb, roasts, duck, grilled vegetables or as a spread on bread.
- barstool scientist
- Booze
- Brew Revue
- Chef Salad
- Closings
- Coffee
- Contests
- Dealage
- Dirty Dishes
- Don't Front
- Eat This Immediately
- Field Trip
- Food and Art
- Food and Holidays
- Food and Movies
- Food and Music
- Food and Politics
- Food and Sports
- Food and Web
- Food Blogs
- Food Books
- Food Events
- Food News
- Food TV
- Gifted
- Happy Hour Hopper
- How-To
- In Print
- Interview
- Meal Ticket
- Menu Time
- Not So Quickfire
- Notes from the Weekend
- On Wheels
- Openings
- Patio Drinking
- Philly Beer Week 2010
- Photos
- Private Chef POV
- Product Placement
- Recipes
- Snack Time
- Stiff Drank
- SUPPER
- Tea
- Testing
- Ticket Stubs
- Top Chef
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Video
- Weekly Candy
- Weird Regional Foods
- We're Here to Help
- Where'd We Eat?
- Drew Lazor's Ill-Advised Rant Factory
- Pregame
- Ill-Advised Ranting
- The Week Without Meat
- Philly Beer Week 2009
- Real Big
- Where'd I Eat Last Night?
- Top Chef Masters
- The Good Word
- Next Iron Chef
- Arterial Terrorism
- Food and Radio
- May
- April
- March
- February
- January
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008





